The people who saw his performances for Atletico, know that he's a top, top goalkeeper. People are just so quick to write off goalies when they have poor games or are going through short periods of poor form for whatever reason. As if, past consistency didn't mean anything. Having turned 26 only recently, it isn't unlikely that he has his best years ahead of him still. Here's hoping that coming off a very successful world cup, both individually and collectively, in addition to being reunited with his family, will bring out the best in him. Motivational drive really is the most underrated attribute in football.

@thimmy... EPL showed his weaknesses. In La Liga, a lot of teams look to pass the ball into the net. In EPL, you take your chances from everywhere. It's far more physical. Although the WC showed that he could do it well, in EPL, he had a hard time with low shots. He also was a bit slow with having to reposition quickly on the same play. So what's Courtois' true level on thosE? What he showed in the WC or the EPL?

We'll see. It's a solid transfer either way. He's one of the best keepers in the world even with his footwork speed issue.

Messi and Ronaldo are both going to start declining now imo. No more top level WCs for either... and they've won everything at the club level. They'll still be elite for a couple of years. But the gap between them and the rest is gone.

I figure I should throw my 2 cents in now that the deal looks like it will happen.

I've never been fond of Courtois, and haven't taken to him like I have with Hazard, Kante or even Costa (while he was here). The reason for that is because I never felt like we won a game BECAUSE of Courtois. Perhaps that is expecting too much but it is what I hoped of him. He is still a fantastic GK but there are times where I feel he could have done more. I often thought to myself; 'Cech would have saved that.'

If his heart truly wasn't in Chelsea, then Madrid might get the best out of him, in which case you're getting a bargain but I feel that Chelsea Courtois is easily replaceable for the two or three decent saves per game he makes with us.

@guest7 wrote:Thibu is like Messis favorite GK. Cant handle these low balls at all, and any good player with football IQ like Messi will abuse that

Yeah Messi is just any good player with a high IQ’s.

There only one player in Messi’a caliber in history ffs

Messi doesn't have the highest football IQ of all time, if he did he would be the ideal coach

Players like Zidane had more football IQ than him. I just said anyone with football IQ will outplay Thibu, and it's true. Any coach with proper sense like Allegri will instruct their players to abuse Thibu

@guest7 wrote:Thibu is like Messis favorite GK. Cant handle these low balls at all, and any good player with football IQ like Messi will abuse that

Yeah Messi is just any good player with a high IQ’s.

There only one player in Messi’a caliber in history ffs

Messi doesn't have the highest football IQ of all time, if he did he would be the ideal coach

Players like Zidane had more football IQ than him. I just said anyone with football IQ will outplay Thibu, and it's true. Any coach with proper sense like Allegri will instruct their players to abuse Thibu

Messi has a very high football IQ and he’d be a great coach had he not been lacking other qualities that are necessary for the job namely good leadership skills etc. Also how can you say Zidane has a higher IQ? Did you measure that somehow?